Citing new census data showing increasing rates of poverty in our country, Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-34) joined fellow members of the Democratic Caucus Wednesday in calling for swift passage of President Obama's American Jobs Act."The Census Bureau's announcement this week shows in hard numbers what most Americans already know all too well - that as a nation, we are suffering in increasing numbers as the economic downturn persists," Roybal-Allard said in a statement. "The census data reveals that median household income declined last year and the poverty rate increased to a record 46.2 million people, the largest number in the 52 years for which poverty estimates have been published.
"This startling data should be a wake-up call for the Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives which has refused to put forward and pass legislation to create jobs," Roybal-Allard continued. "We must immediately pass the American Jobs Act the President sent to Congress this week. It's a specific plan made up of bipartisan initiatives that will immediately boost the economy. The legislation creates and saves jobs, puts money in the pockets of every American worker and family, and doesn't add a dime to the deficit. The millions of struggling families in our country need assistance now. Congress must act now to pass this vital legislation."